The present invention relates generally to flat mail arranging or orientation devices or implements, and more particularly to a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device which is adapted to be inserted within existing flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs such that when flat mail pieces or units are deposited into the flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs, stacking of the flat mail pieces or units within the sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs is facilitated, and the stack integrity is able to be preserved whereby the order or arrangement of the flat mail pieces or units is maintained which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and the sequenced delivery of mail to recipients.
Flat mail, which may comprise, for example, magazines, newspapers, advertisements, catalogs, and the like, are conventionally sorted into containers, bins, or tubs as disclosed at 10 within FIG. 1 wherein it is seen that a conventional container, bin, or tub comprises a five-sided structure 12 having a bottom 14, a pair of slightly upwardly sloped oppositely disposed side walls 16, a pair of slightly upwardly sloped oppositely disposed end walls 18, and an open top 20. Flat mail may vary in size from approximately five inches long by four inches wide (5xe2x80x3xc3x974xe2x80x3) to approximately fifteen inches long by twelve inches wide (15xe2x80x3xc3x9712xe2x80x3), and the thickness of the flat mail pieces or units may likewise vary from nine-thousandths of an inch (0.009xe2x80x3) to one and one-quarter inches (1.25xe2x80x3).
This variability or diversity in the dimensions of existing flat mail pieces or units makes it substantially difficult not only to stack the mail pieces or units within existing postal or commercial delivery service containers, bins, or tubs, but in addition, it is additionally difficult to maintain the proper order and orientation of the mail units or pieces which is indispensable in connection with automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients. As the flat mail pieces or units are deposited into and stacked within existing sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs, the variable-sized accumulated mail pieces or units tend to slide around within the containers, bins, or tubs and therefore do not stack neatly. In addition, disrupting forces may act upon the stacked pieces or units of mail while the containers or tubs are being conveyed from one location to another by suitable conveyor systems or delivery carts. As a result, some of the mail pieces or units may slide off the accumulated stack, they may become oriented upon one of their edges, and accordingly, may be disposed out of their original order which is problematic in connection with advanced technology mail processing and sequenced mail delivery systems.
The aforenoted difficulties and problems attendant the handling of flat mail pieces or units obviously occur worldwide, that is, all national postal mail or commercial delivery service agencies and companies experience such operational problems or difficulties. Accordingly, some foreign or international postal services or commercial delivery organizations have designed new flat mail containers or tubs in an effort to resolve the aforenoted problems impacting the stack integrity, orientation, and order of the various mail pieces or units, however, such newly designed containers or tubs are heavier, they are more costly, and their implementation would effectively require the elimination of all existing containers or tubs. Within the United States Postal Service alone, literally millions of such containers or tubs are in existence. Accordingly, their replacement would require new expenditures comprising millions of dollars. In addition, the increased shipping weight of such containers or tubs would also adversely impact postal service costs. As an alternative to designing new mail containers or tubs, attempts have been made to alter the processing apparatus or equipment in an attempt to resolve the aforenoted stacking, orientation, and mail order problems. For example, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,025 which was issued to Plent et al. on Mar. 1, 1994, flat mail pieces or units are discharged from sorting equipment in a vertical mode and are deposited into a bin or tub which is disposed in an inclined state. In a similar manner, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,352 which issued to Scata et al. on Aug. 4, 1992, flat mail pieces or units are deposited into a container which is disposed at an inclined angle by means of its mounting bracket. Lastly, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,340,100 and 5,340,099, both of which issued on Aug. 23, 1994 to Romanenko and Romanenko et al., respectively, orientation chute adjuncts have been utilized in connection with mail piece sorting machines, however, such chutes do not address the stacking, orientation, and order problems noted heretofore in connection with the mail pieces or units when they are actually disposed within the sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device which is to be adapted to be inserted within existing flat mail sorting containers, bins, or tubs such that when flat mail pieces or units are deposited into and stacked within the flat mail sorting containers, bins, or tubs, stacking of the flat mail pieces or units is facilitated, the stack integrity is able to be preserved whereby the order or arrangement of the flat mail pieces or units is maintained which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients, wherein the implement or insert is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is light in weight, and wherein the implement or insert is able to be readily accommodated within existing postal service or commercial entity sorting and storage bins, containers, or tubs whereby such existing containers, bins, or tubs need not be replaced.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs which effectively overcomes various operational disadvantages and drawbacks characteristic of PRIOR ART systems and implements.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying or orientation implement or device for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs in order to facilitate the stacking of flat mail pieces or units within a sorting or storage bin as well as to maintain or preserve the stacking, orientation, and order of the flat mail pieces or units within the storage or sorting containers, bins, or tubs which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within existing flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs in order to facilitate the stacking of flat mail pieces or units within an existing sorting or storage bin as well as to maintain or preserve the stacking, orientation, and order of the flat mail pieces or units within the storage or sorting containers, bins, or tubs, which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients, such that existing sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs need not be discarded and replaced.
A last object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying, or orientation implement or device for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within existing flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs in order to facilitate the stacking of flat mail pieces or units within an existing sorting or storage bin as well as to maintain or preserve the stacking, orientation, and order of the flat mail pieces or units within the storage or sorting containers, bins, or tubs, which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients, such that complex and costly stacking and orientation adjuncts need not be employed in conjunction with existing mail conveying, sorting, and distribution apparatus or systems.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved flat mail arranging, justifying or orientation implement or device, for use as a separate or separable insert for disposition within existing flat mail sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs, which comprises a substantially rectangularly configured insert support block wherein the upper surface thereof is inclined downwardly from a first corner to a diagonally opposite second corner. In this manner, when the insert support block is inserted into or deposited within a particular flat mail sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, the insert support block will facilitate the stacking of flat mail pieces or units within the existing sorting or storage container, bin, or tub in such a manner that each incoming mail piece or unit will tend to slide downwardly along the inclined surface of the support block and orient itself toward the diagonally lower corner region of the support block and against the two side walls of the container, bin, or tub which are located upon opposite sides of such diagonally lower corner region of the support block. In addition, since the aforenoted structure of such an insert support block causes all subsequent mail pieces or units to likewise be similarly positioned and oriented with respect to the lower corner region of the support block, and with respect to the two side walls of the container, bin, or tub which are located upon opposite sides of such diagonally lower corner region of the support block, a stack of the flat mail pieces or units is automatically formed. More particularly, since all of the mail pieces or units will in effect be gravitationally biased toward the aforenoted corner region of the container, bin, or tub as defined by means of the two side walls disposed upon opposite sides of the lower corner region of the support block, all mail pieces will have two sides thereof justified or disposed in contact with the two sides of the container, bin, or tub forming the corner within which the lowest point of the inclined insert is disposed.
Consequently, the mail pieces or units will form a stack of mail which will have two vertical surfaces thereof comprised of edge portions of each mail piece which are substantially aligned or justified with respect to each other, and since the stack of mail will be inclined downwardly toward a corner region of the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, the integrity of the stack of mail will be preserved and maintained whereby, in turn, the stacking, orientation, and order of the flat mail pieces or units, disposed within the stack of mail disposed within the storage or sorting container, bin, or tub, is therefore maintained or preserved which is indispensable in connection with the automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail to recipients. As a result of employing such insert support blocks within existing sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs, it is also noted that existing sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs need not be replaced and discarded whereby the new and improved insert support blocks constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention comprise relatively inexpensive means for rectifying the problems characteristic of existing or conventional sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs.